The Dickinson press., 1887-08-06
A GENUINE MANIA.
A POLICE CAPTAIN ANALYzEs THE
CAUSE OF KLEPTOMANIA.

description OF n Iyp1caI case HOW
Klcptomaniacs Have Sometimes Becn
Brought to Their Senses-Thc Neces.
sity for Temporary Confinement.
d you believe that klcptomania is a gem
uine mania, %captain!' queried n reporter of
one of the oldest police captains in the city.
''Of course l do. So would you if you could
see the number of cases l have seen, and had
the inco%ntrovcrtiblc proofs of actual mania
that l have had. It's n delicate matter, you
know. The ntiliction strikes high and low.
But the cynical world calls n theft a theft,
whether it lie the act of a free will agent or
the irresistible impulse of n lunatic. There
are more of these un%fortunates than YOU
imagine"
Can you describe n typical case!"
"a dozen of them if you desire. The case
of n lady, now nearly ~ years old, of fine
family by birth and the wife of u wealthy
and prominent professional man, is n most
thoroughly representative case Her husband
is devoted to her. His wealth enabled him to
crafty her every desire and whim. Beauti-
full children, who arc idolized by both
parents, were given unto them. Yet hardly
IL week passes by that that lady does not re.
sort to the methods of the common shoplifter.
The strongest proof of mania in her case,
however, is found in the character of the ar
ticles she steals. 1 do not mean by that state
meit that the lady confines herself to any ore
class of things. On the contrary, she will ap-
propriate anything, valuable or otherwise.
But the great majority of her thefts consist
of things of no earthly use to her or hers
baby shoes and stockings, crockery of
n common kind, cheap jewelry, miserable
dress stuffs, which n lady i'll her position
would not even venture to give away, and so
on through the catalogue of unavailable and
worthless rubbish. Years ago these pecula-
lions gave her husband much distress and
humiliation. Now it has been customary to
keep close watch OH her, to note the goods
taken and render the husband Il yearly bill
for their value. These bills, in ut least two
stores, frequently amount to $500 per gear.
Formerly. when her thefts were discovered
and the lady was apprised of the fact, hel.
grief and shame We're r..!.hle. But the old
impulse would return. and, after q few i'm.
Potent efforts at resistance. would resume
fall sway. So far rs the lady knows low it
Is many Years since her ~til.ttS have been dis.
covered. Another strange feature i'll the mat
ter is that She is an earnest Christian woman,
giving freely OF her time and money for the
advancement OF all good works.
BROUGHT TO THEIR SENSES.
Can't You cure this mania if You take it
i'll time:"
Il am glad 10 say that i'll several instances
1 have been able to bring Young men to their
Senses
How did you do it,
by arousing their pride and q fear of
public disgrace. Take for example this case.
y man came to me about two years ago and
said: My son is n confirmed thief. He has
been dismissed from several positions for CHI
bezzling sums varying from IS to $50. In
each instance | have made the amount good.
But lie is now nearly 20 years old, and,
although free from other vicious habits. 1
cannot tell at what moment his thefts NAV
reach into the hundreds or thousands. Can
you do anything to save my boy from the
disgrace which is bound to come if he keeps
one
II said to him, Bring the boy to me- He
left the police station and returned with the
young man. 1 questioned tho youth. He
told nc be was helpless. The impulse to APP
propriato the property of others when it
struck him dominated his whole being and
overpowered the promptings of Judgment
and conscience. He did not consider that he
was a thief. His case was evidently a bad
one, so l said to him sternly: you are a thief,
young man, and a dangerous one. You GER
tainly cannot be left at liberty any longer
"Tho color left his face as he asked what l
meant. l told he would have to be locked up
for ut least six months. Then l took tho
father aside and explained to him my theory
and the necessity for at least temporary con-
tinement to impress upon the boy that he had
been stealing. Tearfully the father acqui-
esced. Arrangements were made very quietly,
aud the young man was jailed for three
months. When he was released, supposing
that all his friends knew of his shame, he be-
sought his father to secure him q position i'll
Chicago. The desire was complied with, and
the young man is now a highly esteemed and
promising fellow. Thu remedy was severe,
but eifective.n-New York Sun,